Cut and Paste game.

[Prom_STar]

um, well, I obeyed the rules of this game....
So here's the fourth appendix to Legacies, my book.

Enjoy!

Four: The Major Guilds: an anlysis and history
[Base Plot Point]
From Summa by the Arch Guardian

I. Introduction:
To nearly every citizen of the Empire, the words Brae-Han, Polariq, and Hyperspace Guild are common terminology. Though most know very little about the Major Guilds themselves, every citizen knows at least one thing about them: they affect the lives of the entire Empire. In this modern age, the Major Guilds are superpowers, secretive safeguards, and terribly powerful. As the leader of the Polariq, a Major Guild, and a student of history, I have taken it upon myself to enlighten the people of the Empire about the true nature of the Major Guilds. It is fitting, considering my own allegiances, to begin with the Polariq.
II. The Polariq:
The Major Guild known as the Polariq stems from humble roots. Nearly 900 years ago, an entrepreneur named Cylas Eklan brought together mankind’s leading minds in the fields of nanotechnology and artificial intelligence. At great risk to himself, Eklan financed a mammoth project create nanites as we know them today--an artificially intelligent swarm, organized by a hive mind. Though Eklan was nearly bankrupted, the project did succeed and promised to reward him greatly. Together with many of the head scientists, Eklan founded the Polar Corporation. When Eklan died shortly after the discovery of the first Hyperspace Gate in 2243, he was the richest man in history.
The Great Exodus proved a very lucrative time for the Polar Corporation. Regenerator swarms helped safeguard explorers. Constructor swarms produced the finest quality equipment at unbelievably low prices. And Assaulter swarms were always prepared to defend mankind from whatever dangers he might encounter amongst the stars.
For a time, everything went smoothly. Brave explorers found one new planet after another. Following in their footsteps, billions of colonists left Earth behind to seek their fortunes under alien skies. Wherever they went, Polar Corporation nanite swarms went with them. After almost a century without error, however, something went terribly wrong.
Sometime during the mid twenty-fourth century--the exact date is now lost--a group of fanatical terrorist on Earth calling themselves “the Brothers,” reprogrammed an Assaulter swarm, transforming it into a deadly virus. During the two weeks before the plague was contained by Polar Corporation authorities, nearly half of Earth’s population perished. In the wake of the Great Plague, mankind cried out for restraint. Nanotechnology, they finally realized, was terribly dangerous. The leaders of the Polar Corporation also realized the danger in nanotechnology and decided that as the original creators of nanite swarms, it was their duty to protect mankind from his own creation. Thus the Polar Corporation was revamped, becoming the Polariq--the guardians of mankind.
This transformation was anything but easy. Heretofore, nanite swarms had been controlled by computers. When the Great Plague began to ravage mankind, however, those computers proved insufficient. The creators of the Plague had used the same computers to reprogram the Assaulter swarms. The Plague itself was only stopped when the Polar Corporation created a costly counter-virus that managed to destroy or capture all the Plague swarms. Such a method of containment had been a last resort, a policy that might not work a second time. And no one knew this better than the Polariq.
Into this dark scene stepped a man unknown to most people in modern days. Even most Guardians known little of the man who called himself “The Elemental.” Such ignorance is true shame: the Elemental may very well have saved mankind from a second Plague.
In short, the Elemental provided a solution to the Polariq’s enigma. He showed them how to better control swarms. He taught them how to be Guardians.
We know little of the Elemental himself. We have only a few shreds of information taken from CEO Atar’s logs. What we know is this: the Elemental was a scientist who lived on Earth because he was too poor to afford travel elsewhere. He lived in a small town in Eastern Europe that was almost entirely wiped out by the Great Plague. The Elemental, in fact, was the only survivor.
For decades, it seems, the Elemental had experimented with cybernetics. In particular, he focused on combining the human brain with computers. And he experimented on himself. When the Plague hit, the Elemental was not consumed as everyone else in his village was. Instead, he managed to gain control of the swarm, suppressing its original programming with his own commands. Only weeks after the Plague was contained and the quarantine on Earth was lifted, the Elemental spent every cent he had to travel to the Polar Corporation’s lunar facilities. He intended to share his discovery.
Over the next decade or so, the Polar Corporation transformed into the Polariq. Employees became Guardians. CEO Atar became the first Arch Guardian. And the Elemental, content that his work was finished, quietly slipped away and disappeared from the stage. Thanks to a generous gift from the Polariq, he now had the resources to see the universe he had probably saved.
Once the transformation into the Polariq was complete--sometime in the late twenty-fourth century--Arch Guardian Atar enacted the Bans. At the time, only the Polariq knew how to manufacture nanite swarms, but nearly everyone used them. The Bans, however, intended to change that. “Henceforth,” the official declaration declared, “nanite swarms will be manufactured, owned, and operated exclusively by Polariq personnel. Only a Guardian, trained to handle and well versed in the danger of swarms, can safely possess nanotechnology.” There was, of course, some initial outcry about the decree, but there was no resisting it. It is estimated that the Bans were in full effect within twenty years.
From the enactment of the Bans until the first meeting of the Federation Senate, we know extremely little about the Polariq--just as we know next to nothing about mankind in general. Official Polariq logs exist, but they are vague and sparse. We know only that the Polariq worked tirelessly to enforce the Bans and to protect mankind from the dangers of nanotechnology. Since the Federation Senate first met and the Third Dark Age ended, the role of the Polariq has not changed. Still they seek to protect mankind. Moreover, the Polariq hope to one day return nanotechnology to humanity. In fact, such has always been their aim. The Bans were designed to keep nanotechnology from mankind until they are ready. The Polariq are safeguarding a treasure until the time is right to give it.
Today, the Polariq continue on in their long-established role. In a more practical sense, the Polariq are active members in the economy. Polariq-built weapons and spacecraft are the finest in all the Empire. In addition, Polariq AI constructs are used by thousands of other industries to streamline production and improve administration. In the official Imperial ranking, the Polariq are the second Major Guild, below only the Major Guild juggernaut: the Hyperspace Guild.
III. The Hyperspace Guild:
The Hyperspace Guild arose from rather dubious origins. Originally, the organization that would later become the Guild was nothing more than one of dozens of Hyperspace Network upkeep and maintenance groups. Though this will certainly be a foreign concept to modern readers, the Network was originally unrestricted--and completely devoid of any manner of duties or tolls. Anyone who possessed a functioning Hyperdrive could use any Gate at any time. At least until the events that would culminate in the Guild’s monopoly began to unfold.
Around the dawn of the twenty-fifth century, for reasons never discovered--or more likely, reasons never made public--the entire Hyperspace Gate Network crashed. In the blink of an eye, every Gate simply shutdown. Over the next eight years, the Network came back to life. To everyone’s relief, the Gates were undamaged; everything was the same as it had been before the shutdown. Everything that is, save one change: every Gate was now under Hyperspace Guild control. Of course the whole thing was extremely suspicious. The entire Network mysteriously shuts down and when it returns to life, a single organization controls all of it. But the fact was no one had the authority to demand an explanation from the Guild. Even today, the Guild does not even try to pretend they didn’t cause the shutdown to gain their monopoly. They know full well that no one can challenge them now.
Aside from its beginnings, the history of the Guild is relatively dull. They have operated under the same modus operandi since their inception: maintain the monopoly and earn the greatest possible profit. And to be blunt, they have done very well at that. There has been no major threat to their monopoly in the last six hundred years, and the Hyperspace Guild is far richer than any other organization in the Empire.
Today, the Guild operates as it always has. A single Guild Head leads the Guild and represents its interests in Guild and Imperial Councils. In official reckoning, this Guild Head is the second most powerful man in the Empire after the Emperor. In actuality, most consider him to be the most powerful--and they do so with good reason. Below this Guild Head are innumerable offices. Together, the entire force--believed to number somewhere in the vicinity of three million persons--operates and maintains the Hyperspace Gate Network. And they always charge a fee.
IV. The Brae-Han
During the Third Dark Age, the Arch Guardian of the Polariq began a program to improve control of nanite swarms. Two principle approaches eventually developed. The first, following the footsteps of the Elemental, proposed a cybernetic--and thus an ultimately mechanical--solution. The second advocated genetic engineering--a biological proposal. Eventually, the first approach produced results first and the second was abandoned. The leading scientists who had worked on it, however, refused to obey the Arch Guardian’s ruling. Destroying their own nanites and deactivating their augmentation, these scientists--along with hundreds of loyal followers--left the Polariq to pursue their ideas. Thus, the Brae-Han were founded.
We have no idea what ever became of the projects the Brae-Han left the Polariq to pursue. As would be expected, records from that time--which was in the middle of the Third Dark Age--are extremely scarce. By the time records do reappear, the Brae-Han had already abandoned those pursuits and had embraced the role they still practice today: providing genetic engineering services to anyone who can afford to pay.
The Brae-Han are similar to the Polariq in many ways. As the Polariq take the form of a single Arch Guardian leading many Guardian, the Brae-Han do the same--though they use the term Master (i.e. Arch Master leading Masters). In addition, the Brae-Han see themselves as guides for the rest of the humanity. As the Polariq dream of helping mankind become worthy of nanotechnology, the Brae-Han dream of unleashing the potential for perfection inherent if every human being’s DNA. Though their methods--and the products those methods produce--are sometimes questionable, the Brae-Han’s devotion to their cause is undeniable. They are as committed--if not more so--than any other.

[sgt.null]

[Prom_STar]

no. In worship, what matters is your heart. If saying "God, you are awesome" express a genuine worshipful spirit, then you're ok. But to say something is "amazing" or "awesome" in most contexts (basically, whenver you're not speaking to the divine)

[sgt.null]

According to the Boston Herald, the Orioles want Andy Marte along with Manny Ramirez and Matt Clement from the Red Sox for Miguel Tejada. Talks between the two teams appear to have stalled.
An executive told the Herald that the list of possible Tejada bidders has grown to six, with the Cubs, White Sox, Astros, Angels and, most recently, the Tigers also expressing interest in a trade. As for the Red Sox's offer, Ramirez's demand for some sort of contract extension, which could involve having his option years picked up at a somewhat reduced rate, hasn't caused a problem yet, mainly because the two teams aren't far enough along

[Prom_STar]

Dear Foul,

I have a terrible problem. A few years ago, I discovered the game Dance Dance Revolution (DDR). I loved it from the beginning and have been completely hooked ever since. I now own three DDR games for XBox and two dance pads (one of which is top-notch). I am the resident DDR champion at my college and my suitemates even place bets of me.

But, I have discovered this obsession has had some rather unfortunate side effects. To put it plainly, I have followed arrows on a screen for so long that now, I find I am entirely incapable of dancing without them.

Lord Foul, I need your help:
I CAN'T DANCE WITHOUT ARROWS!!!!!!

Yours in desperation,
Prom_STar

[MsMary]

www.safedcandles.com/orders/shwprddtl.asp?id=724

[Spring]

next time you do that i'm gonna a) kick your little butt and b) you're gonna owe me MONEY. got it, kid?

you're messin with a BRIDGEBURNER, here...

[sgt.null]

SPRECHEN NIE MIT IHNEN WIEDER dort Sachen, die ich sagen möchte, aber ich spreche nie mit Ihnen wieder dort bin Sachen, die ich someway ausdrücken möchte, aber ich spreche nie mit Ihnen wieder, aber ich spreche nie mit Ihnen wieder, aber ich spreche nie mit Ihnen ich vom Vergeuden meiner ganzer Zeit müde bin und versuche, mit Ihnen zu sprechen ich Sie setzen würde, niederzuwerfen, wo Sie gehören, aber ich spreche nie mit Ihnen, wieder ich mich zeigen würde, daß überall Sie falsch sind, aber ich nie mit Ihnen wieder spreche

[Spring]

Du
Du hast
Du hast
Du hast

[MsMary]

www.semicolon.com/STD.html

[Marv]

Tazz: Punter will do it.

[Prom_STar]

Watcher's Keep

[sgt.null]

Throwing Muses was one of the most influential and somewhat unknown rock bands of the 1980's and 90's. They are often credited with beginning the "Alternative" style of rock music that became very popular in the early 1990's(with a number of other bands). The band never had a top-10 smash and never won a Grammy award, but us fans are happy with them just the same for being true to their art and not "selling out" for a top-10 mind-numbing pop song. The person who founded the band at about age 16, Kristin Hersh, has been referred to as the "Godmother" of Alternative Rock, where Kurt Cobain is referred to as the Godfather of Alternative Rock. Many other artists have referred to their music as being influential in their careers and they have always been adored by critics, fans, and Michael Stipe.

Throwing Muses broke up in 1997 because of financial situations. At the band's website, they and their Manager, Billy O'Connell, were honest and forthright about the band's financial problems from the beginning and the fans have appreciated it greatly. Kristin Hersh resumed her solo work thereafter with the release of 1998's critically acclaimed "Strange Angels". David Narcizo, the band's drummer, recently celebrated the birth of his first child and is involved in his own musical collaboration named "Lakuna" which will release a CD early next year. David was also strongly considered as a replacement drummer for Bill Berry of REM until the band decided to forgoe a replacement.

The band recently released a critically-acclaimed double CD titled "In a Doghouse" which features their first eponymous release from 1986, the EP "Chains Changed", demo tapes from the early 80's, and some newly recorded songs that were written when Hersh was very very young. The band is gone for now, but we know it will be back in some form or other. Throwing Muses and Kristin Hersh have always risen from the ashes.

[Spring]

Arancaytar 29-January 04 2893 16 29.63%
Spring 7-March 05 831 13 24.07%
Nazgul 29-January 04 433 4 7.41%
Wise Man 29-January 04 2165 4 7.41%
Dr.ThinkDeep 21-February 04 1217 3 5.56%
Ephesos 7-September 05 95 3 5.56%
tripfeet 21-December 05 29 3 5.56%
Sir David 29-January 04 1548 2 3.70%
Sir Motrax of Exile 28-January 04 766 1 1.85%

Total posts today: 54

(Yes, I am the 'Spring' in that paste)

[Prom_STar]

QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
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QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
QQQQQQ

--that sort of post probably happens a lot in this thread

[sgt.null]

[Spring]

Whereas the morphology of Alorael seems to be rather unusual, given its inexplicable variation with Aloreal and now Alorale.

[Marv]

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[Dragonlily]

www.reviewers-choice.com/trace.htm

[sgt.null]

14 Hours Ago #22
dennisrwood
Neo Geoffan

joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 456

Golden Age
Kingdom Come
Watchmen
Sentry
Marvels

once happenstance, twice coincidence, thrice conspiracy